The Building of Friendship
by AceLions
Summary: Beetlejuice & Lydia are now friends This is the story of her first trips to the Neitherworld & something as Evil as Beetlejuice's Brother Spider might want to play
1. Chapter 1

**AN: **Hey everyone I'm back with a new story. So far I only own Grandpa Bugjuice. Beetlejuice & Lydia is owned by Universal Studios, Nightshade is owned by rubydesires, & Lina is owned by Madam Laugh.

Chapter 1

Beetlejuice sat in Midnight Desires. Nightshade was making a sketch of a bowling shirt for him. He asked her since he wanted his name spelled correctly on the back, rather than the loophole spelling he had to use since neither of them could spell or say their own names. (Poltergeist curse thing).

Beetle grumbled to himself as he sat watching his surrogate sister/partner in crime drawing on her large note pad. Nights slowly looked up at him.

"B, do you have a problem?" She started getting annoyed, thinking he was complaining about hanging out with her when it was his idea.

"It's been a week. A whole fucking week! I save her ass and all I get is hug and a blow off! I even left her a chant." He sighed before going on. "I thought she understood me."

Nights raised an eyebrow at him. "Stop whining. She is sixteen, and a breather. Plus, you are too impatient. You have a lot of patience to make a con work but when it comes to waiting for something, you have none."

Beetle got up, telling her, "I'm going for a walk. I'll come by when my shirt is done." He walked out of the store and started heading down the street, still grumbling to himself. "What does she know? I can wait. I'm the master of waiting. I'm the Ghost that can wait the Most. Ok, that last one was cheesy."

In the Livingworld, Lydia ran into her room and closed the door, locking it. She wanted to scream. Claire Brewster could not just shut up and leave her alone. Every day since Lydia started there two weeks ago, it's been "Freak this" and "Freak that". The goth girl looked down and took the letter from her pocket which had been left on her vanity that night a week ago. She kept it with her looking at it, remembering how the dirty, perverted dead man had saved her from a monster that was far worse after sending her father's boss and his wife to the hospital, and trying to marry her a week earlier. Maybe he was like her? Not a gothic sad girl, but someone there was more to then what was shown on the top. Every day she wanted to call him to take him up on his offer of visiting the other world without dying first, but she kept losing her nerve. The Maitlands told her that doing one good thing-no matter how good it was-didn't make him a nice guy. It only meant that he had a limit to his heartlessness.

"NO! Anyone that would help someone had to have some good in them somewhere," she told herself, pounding her fist into her hand to make a point. Percy just lifted his head off the bed and meowed. "I'm going to do it. After the week I've had, how much more annoying could he make it?" She almost thought 'Don't ask,' as she changed from her school clothes into something more comfortable. Then she lit an oil lamp that sat on her table, and pulled the curtains on her window closed. She had to let Percy out of the room. If she was going to call this ghost, she knew the poor cat shouldn't be around; he had worse nerves then her dad.

"Though I know I should be wary, still I venture someplace scary; ghostly haunting I turn loose… Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice!"

When the last word left her mouth, the window blew open and her room started to shake and tear, turning into what looked like an old castle. She looked over to the stairs that led to the door out of her room. Then another door that led to who knew where. There were bats hanging from post in the ceiling. She looked around taking it all in.

"Deadly vu," was all that could make it past her lips. Then she heard his laughter and a pail hand with blood red nails and mold growing on it clamped down on her right shoulder. She let out a scream making him laugh even harder.

"Don't be so jumpy, babes, it's only me," he said, the grin evident in his voice.

She turned slowly, looking at him with a small smirk. "That's what scares me."

He only rolled his eyes. "You know how long I been waiting? A week." He lifted up his left sleeve showing her the four watches-which not one of them worked, the batteries were as dead as he was.

"I kept losing my nerve, but I thought hanging out with you would be better. After what Claire has been putting me through."

A smirk came across Beetlejuice's lips. "Who's this Claire? Is she like a Lolita? You know . . ." He thrust his hips, making a grunt noise causing Lydia to jump back in disgust.

"Ew. If you ever do anything like that with her, we will never hang out!" She shook her head. "No, she calls me a freak and tells me what I like is wrong." She sat down and gave a sad sigh.

Beetle thinks for a minute. "You are freaky, Lyds. That's what I like about ya."

Unbelievable as it sounds, that actually made her feel better. "So, you said about us hanging out in your world?" Lydia asked with a hopeful smile.

"Yeah, babes, but you're going to need a change in clothes. Something more suited. Know what I mean?" He waved his hand and her clothes were changed to a black, skin tight leotard with comfortable flats. Then he looked at her table, seeing the grey spider web table cloth, and it yanks off the table as the oil lamp disappears, and drapes the fabric over her, turning it red and forming its self into a poncho. "There ya go, babes. You're looking good, if I do say so myself."

Lydia's smile got wider with her new clothes. Beetlejuice wanted to top it off with the ring he tried to put on her finger at their wedding, but thought she would get the wrong idea. When they got to be better friends he would give it to her.

"Are we ready to go, Beetlejuice?" she asked slowly.

"Whoa, Lyds, you're going to have to call me something else. Like BJ or something. You know what happens with the Magic B words. Let's go!" With that, Beetlejuice grabs her hand and opens the who-knows-where door and Lydia sees a whole other world. Her eyes follow everything as Beetle pulls her along as her guide.

"What is this place?" she asked in awe.

"It's the Neitherworld. This is where everyone goes when they die."

She nodded, taking it all in. "What about heaven or hell?" she asked suddenly.

Beetlejuice stopped and looked at her. "They aren't real. This is it. The afterlife. The one and only. Breathers just made those other places up to give people reason to be good. But, hey, whatever floats your boat, right?"

Lydia felt a little bad for everyone who wanted the everlasting salvation. "Oh. It must get crowed having everyone that ever lived here."

BJ shook his head. "Nah, the Neitherworld is magic, so there is always enough room for everyone. Plus, not everyone that died is here. You see, some like Adam and Babs stay in the Livingworld. Some for a few years, like those two stiffs, and some forever."

He started to walk again, and then stopped, like he just remembered something. "Oh, yeah, babes, almost forgot. Not all the ghosts here are human. Some become monsters after they die. We are not sure why, but, hell it happens, gotta accept it." He then starts to walk again with Lydia following behind him.

As they neared Beetle's home, Lydia could already tell what he meant. Looking at a giant cow skull, she saw a giant cowboy hairball.

"Who is that?" she asked in wonder.

Beetlejuice looked over at who she was referring to. "That guy is the Monster Across the Street. He's an idiot and a pain in the ass."

She only gave the blond haired ghost a dirty look. "Beej, I'm sure he can say the same about you."

"Yeah, yeah, well here is my place." He pointed to the weird building across the street from the cow skull. Like she wouldn't have guessed with the name on the mailbox and big flashing lights above the door saying "BJ's Roadhouse."

Once they were inside, BJ told her to make herself at home. He was going to make her something to eat, and then they would go to his friend's shop to see if the shirt he ordered was finished. When he left the room, Lydia looked around. She was drawn to his book shelf since she loved to read. On the shelves, she found books on law, cooking, repair and remodeling (all of which he studied up on for his cons), and three books she might actually read: The Dark Works of Edger Allen Poe, Poems and Plays by William Shakeyspear, and The Marvelous Stories of Vern Jewels.

Beetle soon returned from the kitchen, holding a plate. "Hope you like Italian. Spaghetti and scream sauce," he told her, holding out the plate to her.

The white cream sauce that looked like alfredo screamed in her face. She was a little leery about the dish in front of her, but decided it was best to be a good guest and at least try it. She slowly picked up one of the stands of spaghetti and put it in her mouth. To her surprise, it tasted good. She took the plate of food from him and sat on his couch. While she ate, Lydia noticed the only thing that didn't run on electricity was the lights. They were all candles but gave off the same light as modern day lamps. Beetlejuice sat in his uneasy chair where he had that day's copy of his newspaper, The Afterlife.

After their meal, they left. Lydia looked over to the side carport and saw Beetle's Car and Motorcycle (The Creepy Cruiser and Phantom Flyer).

Soon, they made it to a market place, stores lining the side streets. While Lydia was looking at all the people, Beetlejuice saw someone he knew; a purple bat woman with green hair.

"Stay here, Lyds. I got to do something," he said, grinning evilly. Lydia looked over at who the poltergeist was approaching. She was beautiful for a bat woman. She wore a lovely dress like she was in royal garb. She was smiling like she loved the day, her life full of sunshine. Lydia had the feeling the so called Ghost with the Most planned to change that.

"Hey Lina, over here!"

Lina only closed her eyes, mumbling to herself. "Crap. What does he want? And was such a nice day, too. Don't turn around, don't turn around, Lina. No matter what he says, do not turn around."

"You-hoo, batty girl, turn around! Look at me. You know you wanna . . . Looks like your panties are riding up on you!"

Lina growled and spun around. "WHAT!" She then gasped and anger rose in her when she saw the form the annoyance of her afterlife was in. Beetlejuice looked like a bullfighter with the head of a bull.

"O-LAY!" he shouted. Then with a poof, he turned into a flamingo wearing a Flamenco dress, and started dancing around.

Lina was so mad, she was shaking. "THAT'S IT!" She lunged at him. He always annoyed her, but making fun of her Livingworld home went too far and she was going to tear him apart.

She had just about gotten a hold of him when someone grabbed her and Beetlejuice, causing him to return to his true form. They were both held by their ears. When they managed to get a look at who it was, they saw it was Beetlejuice's grandfather, Bugjuice.

"Play nice, you two! I'm tired of seeing the two of you fighting! Every time I go out, I have to say to myself, 'I hope Lina and Beetle are not going to be in the same area together.' But here you are. Now apologize."

Neither of them says anything which makes Grandpa Bugjuice angrier. "Lina G Batrica, Beetlejuice, apologize now!" This time they both mumble it under their breath. "What was that?"

"SORRY!" they both say to each other, and their ears are released causing them both to slump to the ground.

Beetlejuice and Lina sit on the ground, listening to Grandpa Bugjuice's loafers shuffle off.

Beetlejuice looks at the bat girl. "Doesn't he know we are having fun? We have a love/hate relationship."

Looking back at him with disgust, Lina replies with, "There is no love in our relationship!"

He smiled and put his arm around her. "Sure there is! I love annoying you, and you love trying to rip my eyes out."

Lina pushes him off. "GAH! Get off me, you stink!" She scrambles to her feet and walks off in a foul mood. Why did he have to ruin her day?

**AN: **Hey everyone I hope you liked this there will be a villain coming in to the story at Chapter 3 I just want to get all the meet & greets out of the way kinda. Let me know what you think.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: **Here is chapter two Thanks to Starling Powers & Dark Angel Erissa for their Reviews. Beetlejuice & Lydia is owned by Universal Studios, Nightshade is owned by rubydesires, Lina is owned by Madam Laugh, Eris is owned by Dark Angel Erissa.

Chapter 2

Beetlejuice returned to the spot where Lydia sat watching him pick on Lina, and then getting scolded by his grandfather.

"Who were they?" she asked, standing up.

"Oh, the bat was the Prince's best friend. I just love to annoy her." He then sighed. "The old guy was my grandfather. Anyway, let's go. We have to get to Midnight Desires." Lydia followed him the rest of the way to Nightshade's shop.

"So, this is the breather that you tried to marry? I hope she is better than the last woman," Nightshade told him while looking Lydia over.

Lydia got nervous. "What do you mean?" she swallowed, asking.

"Oh, I was engaged once but it didn't work out." The way Beetlejuice talked about it was like it was no big deal, but Nights was ready to tell what happened.

"Every time we got money from a con she stole it. When B here dumped her, she took off with our money and his ring. So I went and got it back. Took her finger with it so she wouldn't mess with us again," Nights explained, folding her arms. She was as protective over Beetle as he was of her. She then changed her mood. "B, your shirt is done. Why don't you go try it on in the changing room?" She tossed him the shirt and he left with it. Then Nights turned her focus on Lydia. "Lydibug, this has nothing against you. Having Beetlejuice as a friend is the luckiest thing that can happen to you. He is really protective and won't con those he really cares about…. If you tell him this, I'll say you're lying."

Lydia only nodded at the advice the female blond ghost gave her about the dirty conman in the changing room. When BJ came out he saw the two women talking.

"You're not scaring her, are you Nights?" They looked over to him in his new shirt. The front was striped like his suit, the sleeves were lime green, and the back was white with a picture of his head smashing through three bowling pins with his name written under it. He tucked the front of the shirt in but let the back hang out.

Lydia looked him over. "This is where you get your clothes? I thought you made them yourself."

Nightshade smirked. "The striped suit and his guide outfit, he did make. I made the rest of his clothes when he does whatever he feels like doing."

Beetlejuice decided to interrupt before their conversation turned to fashion. "So, Nights, when are you going to bring your breather to the Neitherworld?"

Nights shot him a dirty look. "Derrick is not my breather. I'm only hanging out with him for revenge."

Beetle started to laugh. "What are you doing? Waiting for his next birthday so you can fuck him to death?"

The next thing he sees is her fist heading right at him. Then blackness and stars. When he came to, he was back in the Roadhouse. Lydia was sitting next to him.

"How'd we get back here?" he asked, rubbing his head.

"Nightshade dropped us off after she knocked you out."

About a minute later, Jacques and Ginger walked in.

"Bonjour Beteljuice. We saw Nightshade and your new friend carry you in." The French skeleton looked Lydia over. He hasn't seen a breather since he was one himself.

"Beetlejuice, aren't you going to introduce us?" the giant spider asked.

Beetle rubbed his face. "Lydia, this is Jacques LaLean and Ginger the Tap Dancing Spider. Guys, this is Lydia Deetz." He then stood up. "Well, I better be taking her back to the doorway to her world. It's getting late." He grabbed her hand and lead her out.

"Do they live there too?" she asked about BJ's two friends.

He shook his head. "Nah, they just come over so much it looks like it. Sometimes it's not worth throwing them out the door."

When they made it to the street, Lydia saw the Monster again in his yard, pruning one of his cactuses. "Hello, Mr. Monster," she called, waving.

He looked up seeing her, waving with his free hand. "Well, howdy miss. Why are you hanging around with Beetlejuice?" he asked her, wondering why a pretty little girl would want to hang out with someone as horrid smelling and annoying as Beetlejuice.

Lydia only looked up at Beetle then back to the monster. Beetle was a little annoyed his new friend wanted to meet all his friends that could hardly stand him.

"He is my friend." Lydia herself couldn't believe she said it let alone Beetlejuice and the Monster.

"Why would you want to be friends with a side winding, prank pulling con man?" Monster just couldn't believe it.

Lydia gave a little smile then frowned. "He saved me from Spiderjuice."

Monster's eyes bugged a bit, big enough to see them, then went back to normal. "That guy is the only reason we can stand Beetlejuice as much as we can."

Beetle just grumbled then spoke up. "Ok, it's time to go. It's really getting late Lyds. Don't want your parents and the Maitlands knowing your hanging out with me." He didn't really care who knew. He just didn't want everyone else to get to know her before he was sure they got to know each other more. When they got to the door, Lydia stopped. She had been wondering something since meeting Nightshade.

"BJ, why did Nightshade call me your breather?"

He looked surprised at her question. "Well babes, a breather-as in the livin-and their ghost are like the best of best friends. A bond so strong not even death can break it. They would do anything for each other. That's what I've heard, anyway. It's very rare. I don't think it's ever happened." He answered her best he could, scratching his stubble covered chin.

"Oh," was all she said before going back to her world before the door closed and disappeared.

The next day when Lydia returned to the Neitherworld, Beetlejuice was sitting at her door, waiting for her in his Creepy Cruiser.

"Nice car Beej. Are we going somewhere?" she asked, looking over the car.

"Just thought about going for a drive, babes. Hop in!"

She got in the car, buckled up, and Beetle drove off. "BJ, Spider is the only real evil ghost here right?" She was a bit worried, remembering last night what the evil thing wanted to do to her.

"No, babes, there's the Boogieman. But he is in Neitherworld jail for dragging breather kids into their closets or under their beds and eating them."

Her eyes widened. "The Boogieman is real? Dad said he wasn't."

Beetle shook his head. "He's real. He is a shape shifter and takes the form of your worse fear. But like I said, he is locked up so he hasn't been boogieing anyone."

Lydia felt better that at least the monster was locked away. After they got where they were going, they sat looking at the view. Beetlejuice picked a spot where one can see a lot of the city. The two started to talk some.

"Beej, do you have a best friend?"

He was taken aback by her random question. "Not really," he shrugged. "There is Jacques, Ginger and The Monster, but they can't stand me when I play pranks on them."

Lydia shook her head. "You don't play pranks on best friends."

Beetle thought more. "There is Nights, but she is more like a sister. So nope, I don't got one."

Lydia nodded. "Me either. The only person I was closest to was my cousin, Eris, back in New York. Having her as a cousin is the only good thing about my dad marrying Delia." Lydia was really enjoying hanging out with him. Unlike the Maitlands, he didn't act like a parent. Plus, he didn't sugar coat anything with her, and unlike her parents, he didn't treat her like a kid.

Beetlejuice took a pack of cigarettes out of his inner pocket. Pack read "Tombers" with a picture of a Tombstone under the words. He stuck one in his mouth and looked over when he noticed her watching him. She had only seen him smoke one other time, and he had thrown the whole cigarette on the floor after a couple of puffs. He thought she wanted one and passed the pack.

"Here you go, babes."

She shook her head, making a gross face. "Those things will kill you."

Beetlejuice started laughing like he had just heard the best joke there ever was. "I'm already dead," he was able to spout out between laughs.

Lydia turned red with embarrassment and Beetle put his arm around her.

"It's ok, babes," he assured her. Then a slightly distressing thought came to him. Damn, what is wrong with me? She stills has that effect on me. I'm comforting her and I'm telling her the truth instead of lying my ass off. Damn!

It was then time again for her to go. Lydia told him that the next day she wouldn't be able to come to the Neitherworld, but he told her he would visit her. When she started to object, Beetlejuice told her he had a plan to blend in.

**AN: **I bet you can already Guess who is going to be the villain in this story. Plus in this Story I will be adding more of my friends Ocs. I love to add the Beetlejuice people my friends add that I think are really cool. Please let me know what you think in Reviews.


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: **First of all lets all have a moment of silence to remember Glenn Shadix the man who played Otho Fenlock in Beetlejuice. He was a great actor my prayers are with his family.Here is chapter 3 Thank you toDark Angel Erissa for her Reviews. Beetlejuice & Lydia is owned by Universal Studios, This version of the Boogieman belongs to me.

Chapter 3

The next day, Betty returned home from shopping to hear things being thrown around her room. When she got there, she saw her brother, Beetlejuice, in her closet throwing clothes out. The rest of the room was trashed as well as if he was looking for something.

"What the hell are you doing Beetle!" Her oldest brother stopped, peeked out of the closet, and gave her a little, embarrassed laugh.

"Hey, Betty, I'm going to hang out with my buddy, Lydia, in the Livingworld. So I need a disguise," he replied, grabbing one of her dresses. Like all members of their immediate family, Betty wore stripes.

"You're not going to disguise yourself as me." She knew what he was planning and went to grab the dress, but he was too fast.

"Sorry, sis, can't stay here with you. Gotta go!" he said before he poofed out of her house. She could only sigh and fix up her room.

He then appeared in Lydia's mirror. "Hey, babes, I'm ready. Just lay those magic B-words on me and we can hang out."

She thought about it for a minute, then knowing he was her only friend (since the Maitlands were more second parents then friends) she might as well hang out with him, and he might help her out. After all, he's been so nice to her lately. Answering her questions and making her not feel so stupid when she said something that didn't make sense. Plus he cooked for her and was pretty good at it.

"Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, BEETLEJUICE!" With the last chant of his name he disappeared from the mirror but was nowhere in her room. Downstairs, Charles heard a knock on the front door. When he went and answered it, what he saw was the ugliest girl he had ever seen. She wore a bat hair band with her dirty hair pulled back in a pony tail. Her striped dress showed off her hairy legs (dear God, was that a bit of chest hair?) She wore steel toe boots and had something green growing around her face, legs, and arms. (It almost reminded him of the ghost that sent his boss to the hospital and then saved his daughter). The only makeup she wore was red lipstick. The girl then spoke in a weird somewhat girly voice.

"Hi, Mr. Deetz. I'm Bettyjuice, Lydia's friend. I'm here to hang out. She is going to show me about taking pictures and stuff."

Charles wasn't sure about this girl, but she seemed ok enough and Lydia had been having a hard time making friends . . . so one weird friend was better than no friends.

"Yeah, come in, Betty. She is up in her room." He looked Betty over as she walked in and watched her look over the house.

Wow, they must have contractor connections, Betty thought. No holes in the ceiling or floors. No sign of the fight with Spider.

Betty went up the stairs to Lydia's room and walked right in making the goth girl jump. She was still looking for her newest friend. When he saw the ugly Bettyjuice, she started laughing the same way her friend did the day before. She could see right through Beetlejuice's disguise.

"Where did you come up with this look?" she asked, wiping tears from her eyes.

"I got it from my sister, and I'm using her name. Which isn't making her happy, but that's what siblings were invented for-to annoy." He was still talking in the girly voice.

The raven haired girl was just happy he was going incognito, and not letting on that she summoned him back into her life. When Lydia grabbed her things and they opened the bedroom door, Barbara and Adam were standing there. They had seen Beetlejuice enter and they, too, were able to see through his disguise. Beetle and Lydia could only look at each other and swallow. They felt in their guts their friendship was now going to be put to an end.

Adam eyed the two. "To the attic, now!" They had no choice but to sheepishly follow the two ghosts up to their attic room. As soon as they made it up to the room Adam and Barbara lived in, Beetlejuice returned to his true form. Adam paced back and forth by his model while Barbara looked at Lydia like she was disappointed in her. It kinda made the gothic girl's heart sink a bit.

"How you call him back after all the harm he did? And you," Barbara said, turning her eyes to Beetle. "I told you to stay away from her!"

Beetle's face went from the "Crap we were caught" look to an angry one. "Look, Babs, last week when I fulfilled my deal and saved her from my sick freak of a brother, you were all too happy with me. I go back to the Neitherworld, like I promised, and you start bad mouthing me again. Good move, I'm proud. But here's the deal: Lyds needs a friend that isn't like a parent to her and I fit the bill." With that he lifted his legs in the air and leaned back like he was relaxing in midair.

Lydia had to add on to it. "If you're worried about him doing anything to me, he hasn't. He hasn't even tried. Not even a kiss. He has been very nice to me, and he helps me feel better, like you guys have. You guys are great, but I need more than just parental figures. He helps me feel more confident." She had to take a breath since she had completely emptied her lungs in her rush to get the words out.

The Maitlands looked at each other, then at the two friends. The past few days Lydia had seemed much happier then she had been since they became a second set of parents to her. They finally agreed to let them hang out together and be friends. Lydia also made them promise not to tell her parents. She was fine with Adam and Barbara knowing, but she didn't want Charles and Delia to know for as long as she could keep it from them. Once the two were free to go, Beetle returned to being Betty and the two headed out to do errands and hang out together. This time was Lydia's turn to show BJ around.

While they were out, Lydia saw two girls she was kinda friends with at school even though she didn't talk to them outside of said establishment. Bertha and Prudence were nice girls. Like Lydia herself, they were the "losers" in school so the three got along well during the eight hours of education, but she wasn't sure how they would get along in everyday life.

Beetle saw Lydia look over to her school mates and grinned, walking over to them. "Hey, girls, I'm Betty, Lydia's friend. You two should come hang out with us."

The two girls looked at the ugly blond girl before them over. Prudence, being smaller and shy, was scared of Beetle/Betty. But Bertha, who was into trying almost anything, agreed for them both. Lydia wasn't too sure about this at first, wondering if Beetle had any thing in mind, but he didn't do anything to them. The four hung out and had fun, and Lydia made two new real friends. Bertha and Prudence even considered Betty their friend, even if they thought she was kinda ugly, scary, and gross.

That night before dinner, Delia decided it would be a good idea for Betty to stay over for the night. The two friends agreed it would be fine. It wasn't long before it was bed time, and once they were in the room, Beetlejuice poofed himself up a cot to sleep on. He claimed it was bad for his back and he needed to work in some kinks. An hour later, Lydia laid in bed to the noise of her friend sleeping on the cot. Boy, can he snore, she thought to herself, but was soon able to block out the noise he made and fall asleep.

The next morning, Lydia went down for breakfast. Beetle wanted to stay up in her room for a little while so he could read The Afterlife. Downstairs, Charles was reading the Winter River paper, "The Peaceful Pines", while he ate. Lydia noticed on the front page a story about three children disappearing from their rooms in the night. Beetle, too, saw a related story in the paper he was reading: "BOOGIEMAN ESCAPES". Beetlejuice swallowed hard. Not only was this guy a breather child eating S.O.B. but Beetlejuice was the one that turned Boogie in for the Neithercash Reward.

Beetlejuice returned to his Betty form and ran down the stairs. "Lyds, I got to go. You wanna come with me?" The rush in his/her voice made everyone jump at the breakfast table.

"Sure, Betty, I'll be right there." Lydia put her dishes in the sink, and the two ran out the door. "BJ, slow down! What's wrong?"

Beetle/Betty only shook his/her head. "No time right now. We need to get to the Neitherworld." He was using his real voice at this point, still rushing, and she decided to go with what he was saying. hoping he might explain later.

"Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice-" Beetle/Betty grabbed Lydia's hand and nodded- "Beetlejuice." They both disappeared and reappeared in the Neitherworld. Beetlejuice was back in his true form, and dragged Lydia to the Deathlier Building, where all the ghosts went to see their caseworkers.

"This is where the suicides have to work?" Lydia asked while she and Beetle walked into the waiting room.

"Yeah, but not everyone that works here killed themselves. Juno and Flat Stan were murdered, but they are workaholics. So they work here. When you comment suicide, it's like being on probation in the Livingworld: your job is picked for you. Otherwise, you can apply for any job you want."

They were moved through quickly. (Beetle knew that braking wind in there once would make it where he didn't have to wait for years to come.) When they stepped into Juno's office, Beetlejuice slapped a copy of the paper on her desk.

"What kinda cops we got here, Juno? First, they lose track of Spider, then The Boogieman escapes." His eyes shifted to Lydia. He could tell she was worried about the one monster everyone feared being loose.

Juno looked at Beetle. "What do you care, Beetlejuice? This won't affect anything dealing with you."

He didn't care that she thought he only cared about himself. He in fact was quiet proud of it, but he knew Lydia would care what the monster did, and that made him care just enough to want something done. "Who is in charge of looking for him? Don't tell me it's Friedeggs and Ham?"

Juno took a drag of her cigarette and shook her head, smoke flowing from the slit in her throat. "No. It's Officer Offed and X Cop," she told him.

That news made Beetle relaxed enough where he didn't care Boogie was at large anymore. Offed and Cop were good. In fact, they had put him away a few times, and it takes skill to catch the ghost with the most.

Boogie was currently in his swamp home within the Neitherworld. He sat there, frustrated, chewing on a fresh bone before tossing it across his shack. His raven, Phobetor, hopped down to peck at it then flew off. The Boogieman absently swayed his tail. He wanted Beetlejuice . . . it was because of him he was locked up in jail for 450 years.

**AN: **Yes the Boogieman is my Villain Spider has yet to be put back together again. Please let me know what you think in Reviews.


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: **Here is chapter 4 Thank you to Dark Angel Erissa & Starling Powers for thier Reviews. Beetlejuice & Lydia is owned by Universal Studios, This version of the Boogieman belongs to me. & Ryan belongs to Dark Angel Erissa.

Chapter 4

As they left Juno's office, Beetle noticed Lydia was still worried about the Boogieman. "Don't worry, babes. Those two cops are good as far as Neitherworld cops go."

She gave him a small smile even though she wasn't too sure about it. She couldn't even tell why her friend could be so calm and collected, but he did know more about this then she did.

The Boogieman smirked when he read the paper. These cops wouldn't take him down so easy. He wasn't an ordinary ghost; he was also part demon, as strong as a high level poltergeist like Beetle and Nights. Sometimes, he could use his powers in ways to rival them. It was no wonder in his mind why he used to be considered a god. He even had sacrifices made to him so he wouldn't kill the whole village. Then the breathers had to wise up and worship others. That wasn't really a great loss to him once he learned how to not only enter the living world through swamps and bogs, but also through closets and from under beds. Those new tricks offered him more food and his favorite was always the flesh of children.

He was ready to get back to business. The ones he already took were a good start, and he was surprised even though he was locked up for so long he was still well known. Every kid on earth might even know his name. He was once again a god. He was feared. He could read fear like everyone else could read a book.

Lydia and Beetlejuice where at the Freaky Eye Scream Shop. Lydia played with more of her eye scream then she ate. It wasn't that she thought it wasn't good; she just couldn't get her mind of the Boogieman being out of jail. Part of her wanted to do something to stop him after what Beetle told her he did, but another part of her was scared.

Beetle looked over to her and could tell she was in deep thought. "What's wrong babes? Penny for your thoughts?" He turned into a giant penny which made Lydia giggle a bit.

"Just thinking, BJ. That's all." She thought it would be best to change the subject. "This is really good. I didn't think the Neitherworld would have so much stuff that I could eat."

He wasn't fooled for a moment, but he played along with her. "Yeah, there is all kinds of food here: both normal and gross. And I eat it all." He sounded proud of the fact as he ate his Beetle Pecan Eye Scream with ant sprinkles.

After a while with little eating on Lydia's part, they figured it was time to leave and take her home. Beetlejuice paid the bill. This was his favorite eye scream place, so he always wanted to keep on good terms with them. Where else could he get what he wanted exactly how he wanted it?

When they got to Lydia's door, she gave her friend a huge hug. "You really are a sweet guy, Beej," she said, smiling, into his chest.

"Shhhhh! Don't let everyone know! I have a rep to keep up."

She giggled and stepped through the door. Having Beetlejuice, the Maitlands, and her parents, she felt happy and safe. And who would have thought Beetle would have been the reason she made a lot of new friends in both the Living and Neitherworld. Lydia spent the time between dinner and bed telling the Maitlands about all she had seen and done in the Neitherworld. They were starting to decide to go there other then when they had to visit their caseworker, Juno. It would at least be a way to get them out of the house for a while since they couldn't leave it in the Livingworld. After talking with her ghostly parents, she told them good night and did the same with her father and stepmother before heading to bed.

In the middle of the night, as the raven haired girl slept, her closet door slowly opened with a creek. The sound made Lydia jump and sit up. "Who is it? Adam? Barbra?" Her eyes studied her dark room, and then Beetlejuice stepped out of her closet. There was something different about him though. His eyes seemed angry, almost meaner then she had ever seen them. She slowly got out of the bed and walked to him. "Beej, how did you get here full size? I thought you had to be summoned."

He pushed her back, almost making her fall. "You stupid little breather. Who would want to be your friend? I only wanted to be around you for a piece of ass, but you're not even worth that!" His angry, gravelly voice rang in her ears. She couldn't believe what the person she thought would be her best friend was saying. Tears flowed down her face as he told her how bad and worthless she was. Then she heard laughing behind her. When she slowly turned her head, she saw Bertha and Prudence laughing at her and calling her a freak.

If her heart wasn't breaking by the harsh words Beetlejuice was saying, she would have wondered what Bertha and Prudence was doing there at such a late hour. It was like her worse fear was coming true. Her already closest friend and two of her newest friends didn't want her, didn't think she was important. Then a raven flew right at her from her closet, making her lose her balance and fall back knocking her head on her bedside table, causing her to lose consciousness. Beetlejuice, Bertha, and Prudence started laughing as their bodies twisted and morphed into three Boogiemen, then the three formed into one. How funny that this girl's worse fear was that the so called ghost with the most would hate her.

"Good work, Phobetor," the evil monster mused as the raven landed on his shoulder. He then drug Lydia's limp body into the closet and back to his swampy home.

The next day Beetlejuice came to his mirror looking for her, but he wasn't in her room. He poofed into the Livingworld in his inch high form and flew around the house looking for her. She should have been home from school now. When he got to the living room he saw Charles, Delia, Bertha, and Prudence talking to the cops. It seemed the two friends were worried when she didn't show up for school and decided to check up on her. Beetle learned that when Charles went to check on her since she didn't get up at her normal time, she was gone.

Beetle was starting to worry. He had to find her. He could tell in his gut something was not right, and he knew she wouldn't take off. She had to be in the Neitherworld. He wasn't sure how he knew, but something nagging in his mind told him to look there. Trusting his instincts, he poofed home as quickly as he could. He didn't know where to look, so he ran around everywhere, beginning to spaz out the longer it took to find her.

He then bumped (literally) into a ghost he knew. It was a pyro ghost named Ryaneo Knight. They weren't really friends, but they were on good terms with each. Both liked having fun and showing off, though Beetle enjoyed it more than Ryan did, it seemed.

Beetle jumped to his feet. "No time to talk now. I got to find something important."

Ryan grabbed Beetle. He could tell the blond poltergeist was freaking and one can't think right when they are freaking. "Beetle, calm down. Whatever you lost, you will find it."

Beetlejuice shook his head. "I got to keep looking!"

Ryan slapped him a bit, just to knock some sense into him. "Dude! Breath."

Beetle stopped fighting and looked at him. "Ryan we are dead. We don't breath."

The fire haired ghost could only roll his eyes. "Tell me what you lost."

He really didn't want to say it but did. "I lost my breather. She was kidnapped, and I know she was brought here."

Ryan nodded. He secretly had a breather of his own (Lydia's cousin, Eris), and knew how he would feel if she was ever kidnapped. But he didn't think Beetle would feel that way. "Well, there is one way you could find out. I mean it happened to her mother, so ask her."

Beetle shook his head "no", knowing who Ryan was talking about. "I. Will. Never. Ask. Her. Never in a millennia would I ask for her help"

Beetle stood in a somewhat dark room. He was going to regret this, he just knew it, but he had no choice if he wanted to find Lydia.

"I don't even want to be here asking for your help, but you're the only one I can turn too. Someone I know was kidnapped from the Livingworld. A breather. And need you to help me find her."

**AN: **Hmm I wonder who Beetlejuice is asking from help from. Can you guess? Thank you for reading. Please let me know what you think in Reviews.


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: **Here is chapter 4 Thank you to Dark Angel Erissa & Starling Powers for thier Reviews. Beetlejuice & Lydia is owned by Universal Studios, Nightshade belongs to Rubydesires, This version of the Boogieman belongs to me. Ryan belongs to Dark Angel Erissa & Cassie & Mel Belong to Starling Powers.

Chapter 5

A dark skinned beauty leaned forward with a smirk on her lips. "You're asking me for help? You must be desperate Beetle. Do you care about this Breather?" Her eyes studied him for an answer, but Beetlejuice wasn't going to admit to anyone that he cared for someone other than himself.

"Hell no, I don't care about this person. It's just I don't want anything bad to happen to her."

The beauty rolled her eyes. She knew this ghost better then he thought. "I can dig it. You don't care about this person, I won't help you. If you do care about her, though, you have to admit it. Say the words, and I will help you get the one you care for back."

This was torment for Beetle and she knew it. He couldn't tell her he cared about someone else, but if something happened to Lydia, he would never forgive himself. He was defeated and he looked down at the floor.

"Ok, Cassie, I care about this girl. She is my Breather, and I need to get her back safe."

Cassie stood up from her chair. "Good job. Let's go." She kissed Beetle's cheek and patted him on the back, walking to the door. Great, the only Ghost Hunter in all the Neitherworld and it had to be one that enjoyed fucking with him-and not in the fun way.

Cassie had told him if it was, indeed, the Boogieman as he thinks, then with Boogies power to read fear they would need more help in case someone wasn't strong enough to face it. Beetlejuice knew of two people who could help them, and those would be the only other two people that knew how he cared for Lyds. First, they would go to Rot Park where Ryan showed off his fire work, and since it was on the way to Midnight Desires, they would get Nightshade. Beetle knew all he had to do was ask Nights, and she would help him with anything.

Ryan was at the park, showing his powers over fire when he looked over, seeing a little girl playing with a cut in her shirt, and then he saw a stab wound. She looked a bit lonely, like she was the only one she knew there. He walked slowly over to her.

"Hey, why are you sitting here all by yourself?"

She looked up to him her. Eyes were child like, yet still very smart for her age.

"I don't have any family or friends here. They aren't dead yet." She sighed. "I've only been dead a week."

Ryan kneeled by her. "Yeah, I saw you were stabbed." He opened his shirt some, showing her his own stab wound.

He figured if she saw he died the same way she did, it might make her feel better. She only looked and nodded some then Ryan nodded. He wasn't going to give up trying to help this little one. He held his hands together and opened them. A fire ball formed then took the form of a kitten that actually meowed to her. It then formed into a knight fighting a dragon to save a princess. The trick made the little girl smile and reach out with her light purple fingers and the fire poofed away like magic. Ryan only smirked.

"Hello. My name is Ryan."

Still smiling, the little girl looked from his hands to his face. "Hi Mr. Ryan. I'm Melanie Frankford, but you can call me Mel." The two new friends talked until Beetle and Cassie walked up.

Ryan and Mel looked up when they heard some people approach and saw Beetlejuice and Cassie.

"Dude, you asked her! Cool. This is my new friend, Mel." Ryan motioned to the 10 year old ghost.

Beetle rolled his eyes. "Sweet. Hey, I want you to come help me get my breather back."

The fire haired ghost nodded. "Sure, I'll help. I saw how you were freaking earlier." He then turned to Mel. "I have to go for now. Do you have a place to stay?" The little ghost shook her head; she was really alone in this world. Ryan didn't feel right leaving her with no place to go. He thought for a second and took a spare key off his key chain, handing it to her. "I'm going to trust you to stay at my place for now. Watch TV and get yourself something to eat." Mel slowly took the key and left after being told where the house was. After she was out of sight, the pyro ghost turned his attention back to the other two in front of him. "Ok, where to now?"

Beetlejuice nodded. "Nightshade. I can always count on her."

At Midnight Desires, Nights wasn't too happy about one of the members of the rescue party. "B, she is a ghost hunter and you asked her for help! You know she is going to turn us in as soon as we save Lydibug."

Beetle smirked. "So you're going to help?"

Nightshade sighed, knowing he didn't listen to a word she said, and then nodded. "Yeah, I'll help. I can't sit around here while you risk everything. Especially if you think it is the Boogieman."

Beetle smirked. He knew he could count on her to help him. "Good, Nights. I knew I could get you to help me."

"Yeah, don't push your luck, B. We still need to figure out where the Boogieman took Lydibug."

Cassie thought for a moment. "According to legend in the living world, he was considered a swamp ghost."

Ryan nodded. "It's as good place as any. But Boogie has been around long before we were even born so he has time on his side."

Beetlejuice was getting angry. "Look, if you 3 are chickening out, I'll do this on my own. I never met someone I couldn't handle-older than me or not."

Nights got up and grabbed her surrogate brother's shoulders. "B, we are in this with you. As much as I usually regret it, you can count on me to join you." The four left the clothing shop and went to check the Neitherworld Swamps.

After hours of looking, Beetlejuice was starting to feel a lump in his throat and like someone had punched him in the gut with spiked brass knuckles. Nightshade looked at the man that had been like an older brother to her for over 600 years and pulls him to the side, away from the group.

"BJ, come on, look at me." Her voice was sweet and loving, which was something only known between them when the other was really hurting. They were far enough from the group to talk freely. Beetle looked at her, trying to hide the sadness and worry that filled his green eyes. Nights placed her hands on his shoulders in a comforting manner. "We will find her, B, and we will rescue her or die again trying." Beetle nodded. He felt lucky to have her with them; they could read each other like a book.

They finally came to the edge of Oogie Swamp. The three ghosts took flight. Ryan held Cassie, even though she could fly, but it was for only a short time and they couldn't wait. While Beetle and Nights flew without any wings, Ryan chose to use huge wings made of fire similar to those of the Phoenix. They soon made it to what they were looking for: the swamp shack home of the Boogieman.

Inside the Boogieman's swamp shack, he had Lydia bound and gagged.

"I hope your head doesn't hurt too bad." Boogieman laughed at her slightly. "You're too old to eat, but you're perfect to use as bait." He looked around his shack. "I'll need a better look to this place if I'm going to have guest." The place starts to glow and shake. The inside of the shack begins to take on the form of a mansion, the colors black and blood red. Boogie smiled at his work. He knew if Lydia worried Beetlejuice would hate her, they must be friends, which meant he would come for her.

And he would have the ghost with the most like a spider has a fly.

**AN: **So How many of you guessed it was Cassie From Starling Powers Stories? I wonder What everyone's Worse fears are & why did Boogie pick those colors for the inside of his mansion? From the way the story is going it might be 6 or 7 Chapters at the most. Thank you for reading. Please let me know what you think in Reviews.


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: **Here is chapter 6 sorry for the wait. Thank you to Dark Angel Erissa & Starling Powers for thier Reviews. Beetlejuice & Lydia is owned by Universal Studios, Nightshade belongs to Rubydesires, This version of the Boogieman belongs to me. Ryan belongs to Dark Angel Erissa & Cassie Belong to Starling Powers.

Chapter 6

The group slowly entered the shack seeing the inside was designed as a mansion. Nightshade growled under her breath. Boogie was using her colors. The others just looked around the big room till Boogie's voice came over an intercom.

"Well well Beetlejuice, you brought guests-and one of them is a traitor. How could you betray me Nightshade? We had a good partnership going on."

Everyone looked at Nightshade with a shocked look on their faces but Nights was mad.

"Helping you kidnap and kill breather children isn't what I signed up for!"

Beetlejuice regained his composer. "If she is a traitor, I'm proud I trained her well. You need to be like family to have a good dishonest partnership." Nights gave a little evil smile as the intercom went quiet.

Cassie looked around the huge room. "Look guys, I dig your proud to have a tight bond going on, but if we are going to find this Lydia girl we are going to have to split up to search this whole place."

The three ghosts knew she was right. Even though splitting up would probably end up a bad idea, they needed to find Lydia quickly. The four of them each took a different hallway. Cassie studied her surroundings. Her senses told her she wasn't alone. Someone was watching her. Then she heard his voice.

"A breather living in the Neitherworld. But you know just 'cause you were born here, you will never fully master the ghost powers your infant body adsorbed. Sooner or later you will fall." The floor started to give way beneath her and she started to run, but ended up trapped against a wall with the floor giving away behind her. She pressed firmly against the wall, her fear of heights clearly visible on her face.

Meanwhile, Ryan walked into a one of the rooms from his hall and found a girl lying in the corner of the room. He ran to her, thinking it was Beetlejuice's Lydia, but when he rolled her over he saw it was Eris, beaten and bloody. Her eyes shot open causing Ryan to jump and fall back. Tears were in his eyes seeing his breather, his love so hurt.

"Ryan, this is all your fault. You were supposed to keep me safe, but you let the Boogieman get me," she cried to him, and then started to yell. "I HATE YOU! I wish you never showed up at my door!"

If his heart had been beating, it would have stopped for sure. Eris then rose to her feet and stabbed two sharp fingers through the pyro-ghost's shirt and into his stab wound, causing him to collapse farther to the floor.

Nights had entered an area with a full sized mirror along the wall. As she passed the mirror, something strange caught her eye. She stopped, looking at the mirror, and let out a scream, her eyes bugging out and her pony tail standing straight out. Her eyes studied her reflection. She was bald-all of her beautiful blond hair was gone. She wanted to cry. The female poltergeist reached for her head and felt her hair, grabbing a strand to pull it over her shoulder, looking at it…then her eyes narrowed. "Boogie."

The reflection smiled evilly at her. "You worthless traitor." Then it jumped from the mirror, tackling her to the ground.

Back with Cassie, the feeling she was going to fall made her by instinct stomp down in front of her to get her balance, finding the empty space in front of her was solid. She heard it yelp in pain under her purple heal. Smirking, Cassie pulled her sword but when she stabbed it into the floor, the empty space quickly retreated so not to get stabbed. "Nice try, Boogie."

Ryan still lay on the floor as Eris pulled her fingers from his chest. Just then, Ryan's eye caught something. Her fingers were a burnt orange and her nails were black like onyx. "Hey, how about a hot foot, Boogieman," he gasped, still in a bit of pain, as the floor beneath Boogie-Eris turned red hot making her jump like a flea and returning to Boogieman form. Ryan rose to his feet. "You're getting sloppy in your old age." He then blew fire at the Boogie double, making him slam into the wall. The Boogie double disappeared with a hiss.

Nightshade was still fighting with her Boogie double who was still in her bald form by the time Ryan and Cassie found her. Nights was getting feed up with this fight already. "Ok, enough of this cat and mouse game." She then turned into a black and red cat while the Boogie double turned to a little burnt orange mouse. Nights hissed at the mouse and chased it till it finally got away through a small hole. She then turned to her true form, walking back over to the others. "Come on, we got to find B. He has a hard time overcoming his fears. He will either freeze up or go to pieces on us." They went to go find their friend.

Beetlejuice was having no luck finding Lydia or the Boogieman. It was like Boogie was leaving him alone. It started to make him wonder what the others came across or if they found anything at all. Room after room he checked was empty. "Damn it! Where the fuck are they? This is going to make me blow my top." The top of his head blew up, and then reformed itself. He then heard something. It sounded like muffled yells. He decided it was best to float to the door to be as quiet as possible. Slowly opening the door, he sees Lydia hanging there. He finally found her, but no Boogie anywhere. Beetle could just grab her and run. When he entered the room and started to make his way to her, a huge Sandworm busted out of the floor. Beetlejuice's eyes went wide as he screamed in terror. "AHHHHHHHHHH! SANDWORM!" Just like Nightshade knew he would, he fell to pieces. Literally.

The Boogieman had planned this. He wanted Beetlejuice to be the one to find her, so he left him alone while he delayed the others with their own fears. He would now destroy the ghost who turned him into the police.

Beetle starred up at the giant ghost eating monster, the inner head coming out of its protective covering. His body parts shook as he lay in a pile on the floor. That was it. It was game over for him. Lydia was doomed. He was doomed. Why did he even need to come and try to find her and rescue her from that demonic thing? There was no profit in it for him. No money. He didn't want to prank her.

He knew being nice to this breather would be the end of him.

The other three finally found him. Nights could only shake her head, seeing her surrogate brother in a pile of limbs on the ground. The sandworm didn't scare the other three; they knew what it really was. Then she got an idea remembering the worry she saw in Beetle's eyes. Something she hadn't seen in them since the night he saved her from Spider. He cared for this girl, which meant the last thing he wanted was to lose her.

"BJ, what are you really scared of more: the sandworm or losing Lydibug? Think about it, B!" she called out to him, making sure he heard her.

Beetlejuice at first couldn't figure out what she meant. Of course sandworms scared the hell out of him! Then he looked over to Lydia hanging there all tied up and gagged. Something snapped in his mind. He cared deeply for her.

More than anyone else before.

He cared about her even more then himself or Nightshade (although not by very much). Then he remembered what he told her about the bond between a ghost and their breather: an unbreakable, deep bond. He realized sandworms weren't his worse fear. It was losing Lydia. He didn't want an afterlife without her in it.

His body parts leapt from the ground as he pulled himself together. He would go up against 100 sandworms to save her (though he hoped it wouldn't come to that) and he would fight this Boogieworm too. "It's Showtime!" he yelled with an evil grin. Nights could almost cheer, but made sure she didn't. Something got through her partner's thick skull.

He made a record player appear. Everyone looked at it, wondering how music was going to help. They didn't think it was time to try the "sooth the savage beast" thing.

As the music played, it revealed the song to be "Hush, Hush, Hush (Here comes the Boogieman)". The sandworm lunged at Beetle, but the poltergeist poofed away just in time and onto the worm's back dressed as a cowboy. "Ride him, Wormboy!" the blond ghost called to himself as the music got louder, calling the Boogieman a coward and a moron in so many words the worm twitched with annoyance and formed back into the Boogieman himself. He hated that song.

Boogie slammed the record player out of the air with a growl. "Phobetor! Get him."

Beetlejuice saw the raven flying at him. Changing his clothes to those of a tennis player, he held a badminton racket in his hand and swatted the evil bird across the room. Returning his clothes to his normal black and white stripes, he headed at Boogie.

"Come on, Boogieman. I'm going to rip that tail off and shove it so far up your ass you can pull it out your nose."

Boogie knew he had to get out of there and attempted to run, but thanks to Ryan, a ring of fire surrounded the swamp demon and poltergeist. There would be no running. Beetlejuice grabbed the Boogieman by the horns from behind, slamming him into the ground. When he went to punch the swamp ghost, his feet were taken from under him by the monster's tail. The fight continued, looking like something you would see in cage fights but more dirty and underhanded by both sides.

The only thing that stopped the fight was the sound of cops outside the shack, and Ryan lowered the flames enough for Beetle to get out before raising them again to trap Boogie inside. They had come to get Lydia, and that's what mattered most. Beetle ran to her, untying and removing the gag. She looked softly up to him. He couldn't help but hug her tight.

"Come on, babes, we got to get you home now so say those magic B words." He stretched his arm, wrapping it around the other three members of the rescue party as the young gothic girl chanted his name. Upon saying it the third time, they all appeared in her bedroom.

Beetle, still hugging her, poofed her outside the front door of the house, now in his Betty form and knocked on the door. He knew he would have to come up with some lie of where she was all day. Delia and Charles answered the door and quickly let them in when they saw Beetle/Betty and Lydia.

"I fell and hit my head so I don't remember much before Betty found me." Lydia was quick to come up with a story. It almost made Beetle/Betty proud. Charles looked at his daughter's head, seeing a bruise under her hair.

"Mr. Deetz, I'll take Lyds up to her room and make sure she is all comfy." Beetle/Betty smiled showing her green teeth.

Charles nodded. "Thank you, Betty. we will call the cops and tell them we found her."

Beetle/Betty took Lydia back to her room where the other three waited. Ryan was looking at a picture of Lydia and Eris.

"It's good to finally meet you, Lydia. Eris talks a lot about you." Lydia looked at him strangely. So did Beetlejuice as he turned back to his normal form. The pyro-ghost explained. "Eris is my breather and I'm her ghost. She kinda thought you would think she was crazy or be hurt if she told you her best friend was a fire ghost."

Lydia hugged Ryan which made him jump some. "Tell her that I have a ghost now, too, and that I miss her."

He smiled softly and returned the hug. "I'll tell her."

Cassie awed at the sweetness, but Nightshade had enough of it for now and was ready to go. "Come on, B, it's time for us to head back home. I got to reopen my shop."

Beetle nodded and went to Lyds. She looked down a bit. "He knew my worse fear was you would hate me. I'm glad we are friends, Beej."

The blond poltergeist smiled, taking out the ring he had tried to put on her finger at their wedding. "Best friends, babes, and this ring will show we will always be there for one another." He slipped it on her right ring finger and smiled at her. Beetlejuice went back over to his other friends and took a hold of them.

Lydia sighed, she was happy to be home, and she chanted his name, sending her four friends back to the Neitherworld. Lydia had would have tons of adventures with Beetle, and Nights would teach her how to make clothes.

**AN: **Sorry for the long wait but I hope it was worth it. I will do a wedding story for Beetle & Lyds some time soon. Thank you for reading. Please let me know what you think in Reviews.


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